By the pricking of my thumbs

[Editor’s Note: This article comes to us from Aryth, Goonswarm Financial Director, and CSM XI-XII member]

Recently, hope returned to the player-base. Many of these changes you see now are the results of years of talking to CCP as general players and the CSM. Some of our messaging is finally being heard in a way that results in it being made a priority. Balance, a topic for many summits running led by Jin himself, was here. Citadel mechanics changes swept across the galaxy. From the blissful fields of highsec moon goo to nullsec’s fever dream that is fatigue, hope springs. Changes the players have been requesting for years are here and mostly in a form everyone can support, which is not always the case. In a single month, CCP has stacked enough incremental change to rival a years worth of previous fixes. The best part is the year has just started, and there is hopefully much more to come.

Let’s start with the hope part

Fatigue – This has been a topic of discussion for years with various ways to fix it having been presented. I had personally advocated for a complete removal, but hey, this huge reduction is good too. Aegis sov has changed the way in which you defend your space drastically. You pay a major price for deployments, and moving your supers and titans is far more problematic now due to that. There is also a dual apex capital/super force meta now so there is that new wrinkle if you are going to push all in on a random fight. By far the best change in the lot outside citadel timers. Saying this was a topic pressed at four summits in a row would be an understatement. Only nullification got more airtime.

Tether – JF pilots are going to have to dock. Impatient ones that align right off are probably going to be volleyed Nyx bait even more so now. This is indeed a disparity buff for us and other large alliances vs smaller ones. Keepstar highways, of which we are the only owners of one thus far, are going to be a thing. This was highlighted to some degree by the CSM. Specifically, my personal feedback was that deep null was a net loser here. However, no one believes it still isn’t a good change overall. I am against coward mechanics, and tether is the strongest one in many years. The bolding will be relevant at a later date.

Citadels – Again, defense was absurdly strong due to timer mechanics. They are still strong but probably somewhere near balanced now. Counterpoint, our GSOL org dropped 280 refineries in a single day a couple weeks ago. Then proceeded to drop hundreds more in the next week. So there is that. I called these structures space cancer at multiple summits in their old form, metastasizing across the galaxy with no practical way to cut them down. Now, the trash can at least be cleaned up without stroking out and playing in moontime multiple times in a week. The entire CSM was united on these.

Entosis – This is going to result in actual fights happening over nodes now. Which is the exact wrong way to do it with today’s mechanics. Oh sure, FAX’s will be the dominant hull in a real war now, but that ain’t such a bad thing. Something on-grid that actually has to engage in a fight is always a good thing. Also a disparity buff for us, but it ain’t like people need more space these days either. Real wars won’t be as soul-sucking now. Great changes here. United CSM here. I think CCP has been looking for changes to perform here for some time and it just took dev cycles to make it happen at last.

High-sec Moongoo – I had originally brought up the concern that R4s were unbalanced but it seemed CCP had already been working on that and had it ready as a solution. Also, a net buff to null, but hey, still a good change. High-sec has something to fight over that is a limited resource. POCOs blot out the sun and these are far more dense concentrations of wealth generation in that regard.

Exploit/Unbalanced mechanics nerfs – CCP has really been on the ball the past few months. The CSM has been reporting a steady stream of edge game-play and mechanics and CCP has responded extremely quickly in almost all cases. Typically just weeks from problem identification to resolution. This is lightning fast when it interrupts other dev efforts.

The other side of the coin

Nullification – The CSM has been united for 2 years now. Nullification is aids. Nullification + Sov Mechanics makes cancer aids. We all believe that there should be a safe form of taxi travel. However, no one wants nullification on combat capable fits. To be fair to CCP, they have good reasons for wanting nullification. Perhaps the above changes to Entosis “fights” will calm that a slight bit in the meta.

Activity – There are references to activity metrics in the minutes. Obviously, the CSM is in complete support of development time dedicated to making EVE a more vibrant place on a day-to-day basis. Therein also lies the danger. The goal is so obviously good and right that it can cloud CCP’s judgement in how they develop the game. Small decisions in how you implement a design have sweeping ramifications in the nature of the sandbox. I am pretty sure you are going to see the result of senior management not understanding EVE being responsible for changing the nature of it. This is the greatest threat we see to EVE at this time as a CSM. We are united in this.

Agency – Many of the reasons I have heard people won’t do it is the rewards being a very poor investment in time. I personally had pointed this out. CCP has a reason they provided for wanting it like that. I obviously don’t agree with that reason but something something data.

Everyone should remember how much hope and unity you have experienced in the last few weeks. The player-base is excited and awaiting these new changes or still assimilating the changes that have already hit in the Feb patch. Remember though, it only takes one CCP design decision to change what EVE is. Know that the CSM is trying to keep EVE true to the game we all love, and is pushing for gameplay-enriching changes. We sometimes also try to lay down under the tank treads to varying degrees of success. Bank this goodwill you feel now my friends, for darkness can come swiftly. It may already be on the way. We can’t get through to them in every instance after all….even united as one.

Can’t “blame” a policy. But whenever a CSM member brings out a piece like this they usually have a motivation to do so. If they then go on to a final paragraph like that you really should be hearing some bells if earlier ones didn’t already pique your concern.

February 27, 2018 at 6:17 am

A simple Merc

“We all believe there should be a safe form of taxi travel.” Why should there be a safe method of travel ? This is EVE my friend , nothing should ever be safe

Because just getting around eve is the absolute worst part of this game. Travel is a slow, tedious, boring, soul crushing affair, and it has only gotten worse over the years. Jump bridge nerfs, jump fatigue, align times and warp speed nerfs, jump clone timers, and on and on.

Anything that improves the individual pilots mobility is good for the game because the more mobile a pilot can be, the more chances for player interaction and fights.

I agreed with most of those nerfs being bad but i’m all for a fair jump fatigue. Even as it is now it’s pretty easy to jump your cap anywhere you want. Usually the fatigue timer will run out before you get your next cyno ready. Unless your on a move op or if your group has cyno alts ready along your route you don’t really even build it up much and even then you just need to be patient and wait a bit between jumps cause the base fatigue timer is really short.

F*** those warp speed changes though. There was no reason to turn an already long warp into a 4 minute wait.

February 26, 2018 at 10:33 pm

Carneros

We are listening and watching.

February 26, 2018 at 1:18 pm

Jin'taan

Incredible look behind the curtain and into the future here Aryth. I hope the playerbase and CCP reads it closely.

I think jump bridge fatigue is good. They do need to tune it for sure though. I’d say base fatigue off ship size starting with half the regular fatigue for a battleship then less as the hulls get smaller.

Carvj94

Forgot to mention how mining in C1 and C2 wormholes is super profitable now with moon mining.

February 26, 2018 at 10:20 pm

Caleb Ayrania

That was a terrifying read. The activity and PCU focus, from a “ccp market perspective” is really dangerous, the problem in EVE atm is raw and isk faucet and sink distro and balance, not “activity” directly. The ominous warning in the last paragraph sounds like something really dumb and not open for discussion is on the horizon. Lets hope CCP does not end up beheading themselves (again).